Learn me....cast bullets

[BLACKFINTURKEY]

I’m interested in possibly casting my own 458 socom projectiles and powder coating them. What I don’t fully understand is the sizing process. I see molds range from .457-.460 but none are 458? So what is needed? Obviously a mold, lead, and smelter but what diameter mold? What is a gas check and when are they needed?

Thanks for any info!

[andre3k]

Do you have a reliable source of free or cheap lead?

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[Quackerbox]

There is a guy on another forum that does this a bunch. If no one here knows I can put yall in touch. He was just water dropping 450 bullets for nail guy.

Or maybe @bearintex knows

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[BLACKFINTURKEY]

Do you have a reliable source of free or cheap lead?

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No lol

[bearintex]

Buy the mold at 458, powder coat then run through a 459 sizer.

[dclifton]

Yep like said above.

I would think you need to gas check as well due to velocity.

I don’t know much about casting rifle bullets but I have casted 1000s of pistol bullets.

A lot of them are run through a sizer to true them to size.

A lot of times you can get wheel weights at local tire shops cheap or free.

That being said I honestly don’t see it being worth it for a 458 socom imo.

[double bogey]

The best forum online for cast boolit info.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php

[Samson]

The proper technique would be to slug your bore and size .001 higher than your bore size. Casting your own is very well worth it if you have access to free/cheap lead. I just started casting a new caliber, .44mag a couple weeks ago.

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[WhiplashTX]

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/

The above forum is probably the best on the web. Lot's of FAQ's and stickies at the top of each forum category. Here's a quick run down. You cast your bullets oversized and run them through a sizer to get them to size and concentric. Just because a mold says .459 doesn't mean it will throw .459 bullets, the composition of the lead alloy will affect the size by a few thousandth. Gas checks are like a partial jacket to prevent leading and gas cutting at higher pressures and velocities. Powder coating is an alternative to gas checks and fully encapsulates the bullet. Almost no one gives lead away for free anymore and some places think it's gold. There are a lot of companies offering cast bullets for the 458 socom now and I would try them out to see how they work for you before committing to casting your own.

[M16]

Lots of the wheel weights at tire stores are zinc. Make sure they are lead if you are going to use them.

[TacticalCowboy]

Coming from a guy that has literally casted 10’s of thousands and quite possibly into the hundreds of thousands of bullets: don’t. Unless you don’t value your time at all, it’s not worth it. However, if you don’t value your time and just want to do it here’s my info:

Lead bullets need to be oversized to properly engage the rifling. I’d suggest .002-.003” bigger than the standard jacketed size for your caliber. For example, I size 30 cal bullets to .311, when the standard is .308 in jacketed. I size 45-70 bullets to .460. I use LEE sizer dies that screw into your press.

A gas check is a piece of aluminum or copper sized onto the base of a lead bullet that prevents the base from melting when the lead bullet is fired. It is generally recommended that a gas check be used anytime velocity gets above 1200ish FPS.

Powder coat/ Hitek is the way to go for coating. There is definitely a learning curve to it. I’m sure with the right equipment PC is easy, but the “shake and bake” you’ll read about on cast boolits hasn’t been consistent for me YMMV.

[BLACKFINTURKEY]

Thanks for all the info guys.

So if I bought lead bullets from a retail would I need to size them or would the be ready to go? Im wanting to load some 450-500gr subs for the socom.

[Mike D]

I use a 500 grain jacketed subsonic round from outlaw state bullets.

http://outlawstatebullets.com/4.html

I can’t say whether they truly expand or not as I’ve never recovered one but it does a number on pigs.


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[TacticalCowboy]

Thanks for all the info guys.

So if I bought lead bullets from a retail would I need to size them or would the be ready to go? Im wanting to load some 450-500gr subs for the socom.

They’ll be ready to load. Make sure you bell the case mouth a touch or you’ll shave bullets and crumple cases.

[Rango]

Coming from a guy that has literally casted 10’s of thousands and quite possibly into the hundreds of thousands of bullets: don’t. Unless you don’t value your time at all, it’s not worth it. However, if you don’t value your time and just want to do it here’s my info:

Lead bullets need to be oversized to properly engage the rifling. I’d suggest .002-.003” bigger than the standard jacketed size for your caliber. For example, I size 30 cal bullets to .311, when the standard is .308 in jacketed. I size 45-70 bullets to .460. I use LEE sizer dies that screw into your press.

A gas check is a piece of aluminum or copper sized onto the base of a lead bullet that prevents the base from melting when the lead bullet is fired. It is generally recommended that a gas check be used anytime velocity gets above 1200ish FPS.

Powder coat/ Hitek is the way to go for coating. There is definitely a learning curve to it. I’m sure with the right equipment PC is easy, but the “shake and bake” you’ll read about on cast boolits hasn’t been consistent for me YMMV.

You see the theme here... Unless you can get the materials for free or close to it...it's just not worth it to cast at home anymore. By the time you get all the equipment and materials - the "break even point" could be pretty far out. I like to reload, but gave up on casting YEARS ago.

I use a 500 grain jacketed subsonic round from outlaw state bullets.

http://outlawstatebullets.com/4.html

I can’t say whether they truly expand or not as I’ve never recovered one but it does a number on pigs.

I bet they do!